Mont Alto Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive with Home Victory over PSU Schuylkill

Mont Alto Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive with Home Victory over PSU Schuylkill
Photos Video Box Score
January 28, 2020

By: Frank Maira, Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Information Director

MONT ALTO, Pa. – The Penn State Mont Alto women's basketball team used an outstanding first quarter to establish a lead that it never relinquished in a 65-54 win over PSU Schuylkill on Tuesday. Mont Alto kept its playoff hopes alive improving to 5-10 overall and 2-8 within the PSUAC conference.

Inside the Box Score

  • Mariah Martin (Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg) nearly recorded another double-double but came up a rebound shy at 20 points and nine boards. Jesime Freet (Carlisle, Pa. / Carlisle) also had a great game within the post chipping in 14 points and seven rebounds.
  • Mont Alto led from start to finish for the first time at home this season and had advantages in nearly every statistical category over Schuylkill. PSUMA shot 39.7% from the floor and connected on 4-of-14 shots from downtown. They outrebounded Penn State Schuylkill by a 44-37 margin.
  • Kara Newell (Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg) stuffed the stat sheet for the Nittany Lions totaling 12 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals.
  • Schuylkill had three players finish with 10 or more points including Abriana Wills who netted a team-best 14 points.

How it Happened

  • Mont Alto came out shooting and hit an early trey, while scoring two more field goals to lead 7-0 and force a Schuylkill timeout just 2:24 into the game. The break did little to slow PSUMA as they built a 15-0 lead after a Kara Newell (Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg) steal and layup.  Mont Alto went on another 5-0 run to close the quarter that was capped by a Madison Bishop (Newville, Pa. / Big Spring) 3-pointer and they led Schuylkill, 20-6.
  • Penn State Schuylkill chipped away at the deficit and cut it to 22-15, but Mont Alto finished the half on a 14-4 run that saw them go into the break with a 36-19 lead.
  • The third quarter saw Mont Alto take its largest lead at 49-32 after a 7-0 scoring spurt that ended with a Mariah Martin (Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg) layup.
  • The visitors could never get deficit to single digits, closing to 59-49 with just over two minutes remaining. Mont Alto took care of business down the stretch for a 65-54 win.

Mont Alto will look to continue rolling when they square off with Penn State Beaver on the road on Saturday. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m.